Commissioners Chief Accounting Officer

Christopher Huhne: To ask the hon. Member for Middlesbrough, representing the Church Commissioners what the  (a) name,  (b) professional and academic qualifications and  (c) relevant experience are of the Commissioners' chief accounting officer.

Stuart Bell: The Secretary, appointed by the Church Commissioners, is the principal officer responsible to the Commissioners for the conduct of all business in their name and on their behalf. The current Secretary is Andrew Brown BSc (Hons) FRICS. He qualified as a chartered surveyor in 1982 and after13 years in private practice, the last three as a partner, he joined the Church Commissioners as their first chief surveyor. He was appointed Secretary in 2003.

Criminal Offences

Nicholas Clegg: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the criminal offences createdin legislation sponsored by his Department sinceApril 2005, broken down by Act.

Gillian Merron: The question is taken to refer to criminal offences created directly in primary (rather than subordinate) legislation sponsored by the Department for Transport which received Royal Assent in the period 1 May 2005 to 9 June 2006.
	No criminal offences have been created directly by such legislation during this period.

Departmental Pension Liability

Robert Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will estimate the pension liability of his Department over the next 30 years.

Gillian Merron: Pension liabilities are not estimated for individual Departments, they are estimated for individual pension schemes.
	HM Treasury have produced a technical note which shows the breakdown in liabilities per pension scheme. This note was placed in the Library of the House on2 March 2006 following an oral statement in Parliament by the Chief Secretary to the Treasury.

Badgers

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  what steps he has taken to ensure that any badger cull in Shrewsbury and Atcham is not undermined by different procedures in Wales;
	(2)  whether he plans to start the cull of badgers on the same date in England as in Wales.

Ben Bradshaw: No decision has yet been made on whether to cull badgers. However, given the seriousness of the disease situation we aim to proceed as quickly as possible while giving the issue the thorough consideration it requires. The decision is not a simple one and we are taking into account all the evidence.
	In considering this decision we will liaise closely with the Welsh Assembly Government.

Commons Bill

James Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment he has made of the judgment by the House of Lords in the Trap Grounds case; and what assessment he has made of its implications for the current drafting of the Commons Bill.

Barry Gardiner: The Trap Grounds' judgment has clarified rights and protections over greens, and reversed the earlier ruling that action taken on land after a registration application can affect the determination of the application.
	The judgment has no significant implications for the current drafting of the Commons Bill, but we intend to clarify the term "local inhabitants" in clause 15 in the light of relevant remarks on the judgment.

Fisheries

Anthony Steen: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what consideration he has given to the request from English Nature for him to close an area of 60 square miles off Lyme Regis to fishing; what consultations he has held with scallop fishermen on this request; if he will take into account the social and economic implications in his deliberations; when he expects to make a decision; and if he will commission research to determine density and location of scallop beds in relation to those of protected seabed fauna.

Ben Bradshaw: holding answer 13 June 2006
	I regard the request from English Nature very seriously. I also recognise that Lyme Bay represents an extremely important fishery for the South West and the socio-economic impact of any action needs to be taken into account in reaching a decision. My officials have attended meetings with English Nature and Southern and Devon Sea fisheries Committees and, more recently, with the newly formed South West Scallopers Association. This dialogue is continuing.
	I hope we can urgently broker a local solution to this issue which will be acceptable both for the marine environment and the livelihoods of fishermen. If this is not possible, or if individual scallopers choose not to respect any negotiated agreement, I will not hesitate to accede to English Nature's request.

Fungaflor

Graham Stuart: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what representations he has received on the  (a) licensing and  (b) availability of (i) the product fungaflor and (ii) a substitute for it in the last 12 months.

Ian Pearson: My Department has received representations from the Horticultural Development Council, the Cucumber Growers' Association and a cucumber grower about both fungaflor and a possible substitute product.

GM Crops

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the policy of the European Commission is on co-existence of GM and non-GM crops.

Ian Pearson: The Commission's general policy is that coexistence measures should be proportionate and science-based, and that they are best determined and implemented at member state level. This is confirmed in the recommended guidelines that the Commission has issued to help member states develop their national coexistence strategies. These are available at http://ec.europa.eu/comm/agriculture/publi/reports/coexistence2/guide_en.pdf. More up to date background on the Commission's thinking in this area is contained in the report that it issued earlier this year on the implementation of national coexistence measures. This can be found at http://ec.europa.eu/comm/agriculture/coexistence/com104_en.pdf.

Ministerial Visits (Accommodation)

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the total cost was of overnight accommodation for  (a) civil servants and  (b) special advisers in his Department staying overnight in (i) mainland Great Britain,(ii) Northern Ireland, (iii) the Republic of Ireland and (iv) other countries in each of the last three years.

Barry Gardiner: The information requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost. The Department records expenditure as either for the UK or other countries. The core Department and mostof it's agencies differentiate between overnight accommodation costs and other travel expenses.
	
		
			  £000 
			  (a) Civil Servants  2003-04  2004-05  2005-06 
			 UK 345 326 513 
			 Abroad 474 570 603 
			  (b) Special Advisers
			 UK 1,220 2,044 2,487 
			 Abroad 698 702 910 
			  Note:  These figures exclude the Rural Payments Agency and the Central Science Laboratory.

Payment Schemes

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many claimants have received interim payments of less than 80 per cent. under the Single Farm Payment arrangements since April 2005.

Barry Gardiner: All partial payments under the Single Payment scheme have been calculated at a rate of 80 per cent. However the calculation took account of data held in RPA's validation system at a specific point in time, which in some cases meant payment was reduced to reflect late claim penalties.

Poultry Culling

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the agreed levels of poultry culling capability are; when these levels were agreed; what methods of poultry culling have been agreed; and what the poultry culling capacity was in each month since January 2001.

Ben Bradshaw: There are no formally agreed levels of poultry culling capability. However, there are a range of culling methods available to the state veterinary service. These include maceration (for day old chicks only), lethal injection, neck dislocation, percussion killers, gassing in containers, whole house gassing and, as a last resort when no other method is practicable, ventilation shutdown.
	Killing capacity has been progressively increased over the last two years through the establishment of contingency contracts with catchers and equipment suppliers. Capacity has been further increased since January 2006 through the development of a system based on the gassing of poultry in containers using a mixture of argon and carbon dioxide; the Department has commissioned 50 of these units, each capable of killing 2,000 chickens per hour. In addition, we have purchased a number of percussion killers for use on larger birds and plan to further increase our capability to gas poultry in their sheds.
	However, it is not possible to state the total killing capacity per month because this figure depends on a variety of factors. These include the age and species of poultry, the housing system, the size, location, quantity and geographic spread of the affected holdings, and the availability of catchers, gas and resources.

Rural Payments Agency

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what discussions he has had with  (a) the Rural Payments Agency, (b) farmers' unions and  (c) the European Commission on the use of partial payments to farmers in England for the Single Payment Scheme for 2006.

Barry Gardiner: Arrangements for the 2006 Single Payment Scheme, including the possible use of partial payments, are discussed regularly at the fortnightly meetings that my noble Friend, Lord Rooker, and the Interim Chief Executive of the Rural Payments Agency have with industry leaders. My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State has also had a useful discussion on the issue with the Agriculture and Rural Development Commissioner, Mariann Fischer Boel.

Single Farm Payments

Roger Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment his Department has made of the impact of the delay in single farm payments upon feed merchants; and if he will make a statement.

Barry Gardiner: Feed merchants are, to varying effects, likely to be affected by the cash-flow issues faced by farming business waiting for receipt of payments under the 2005 Single Payment Scheme (SPS). Over £1.3 billion, representing 89 per cent. of the total value of such payments have now been disbursed and the Rural Payments Agency remains focused on paying the outstanding sums as soon as possible for the benefit of all concerned.

Single Farm Payments

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when he expects all single farm payments will have been made infull.

Barry Gardiner: The payment window for the 2006 Single Payment Scheme opens on 1 December 2006 and runs until 30 June 2007.
	The Rural Payments Agency is working hard to ensure that payments are made as soon as possible within this time frame. Staff have already started basic validation checks on a proportion of the 2006 application forms.

Single Farm Payments

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will take steps to ensure that farmers who have now received their single farm payments will receive interest due on the delayed payments.

Barry Gardiner: The question of interest only arises in respect of payments made after the legal deadline of 30 June. We have not reached that point yet and I do not want to deflect from the Rural Payments Agency in the interim period from concentrating on its main priority, which is to ensure that outstanding payments are made as soon as possible.

Tendring Hundred Water Company

Douglas Carswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment he has made of the extent to which Tendring Hundred Water Co. is conserving water during the present drought.

Ian Pearson: The Environment Agency's report, Drought prospects 2006- spring update, explains the likely consequences of a continuing rainfall deficit and recommends action by water companies. The report recommends that water companies in Norfolk and Suffolk should monitor their water resources carefully and be prepared to take further steps to manage supply and demand if the drought intensifies. This report is available from the Agency's website:
	www.environment-agency.gov.uk.
	Each water company has specific plans to manage short-term water shortages depending on the severity of a drought. These drought plans are a statutory requirement, and also subject to public consultation. A consultation on Tendring Hundred Water services draft drought plan is currently in progress. This can be viewed on the company's website at:
	http://www.thws.co.uk/

Water Shortages

Edward Davey: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans he has to meet water companies to discuss the issue of leaks; and what guidance his Department has issued to water companies on leakages.

Ian Pearson: The Secretary of State and I met with representatives of the water industry, including water companies, on 1 June. Leakage reduction was discussed and a commitment was reached to keep leakage targets—set by the Economic Regulator—under review, taking account of costs, technology and best practice. All parties are set to meet again before the end of the year.
	Ofwat is responsible for leakage target setting and enforcement. A Leakage Study commissioned jointly by Ofwat, the Environment Agency and Defra was published in March 2003, and all water companies were asked by Ofwat to update their appraisals of leakage in line with best practice identified in the study. Ofwat assess the leakage appraisals to ensure that water companies meet the best practice principles identified in the report.
	The study is available at: http://www.ofwat.gov.uk/aptrix/ofwat/publish.nsf/Content/tripartitestudycontents.

Examinations

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills which organisations are permitted to submit  (a) GCSE and  (b) A-level examinations for approval by the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority.

Jim Knight: The awarding bodies AQA, Edexcel and OCR are the only organisations which currently submit GCSE and A-level specifications to the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA), which regulates qualifications in England. Any other organisations that wished to submit such a specification would have to show that it could abide by the relevant regulations.

British Slave Trade

Dawn Butler: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport which organisations have received Government funding for events relating to the200th anniversary of the Act which abolishedthe British slave trade; and what events and activities are planned.

David Lammy: Among other support, my Department is contributing £250,000 per year to the new International Slavery Museum in Liverpool, due to open in 2007. In addition, museums in Hull, Bristol, Liverpool and London will, by 2008, have received £910,000 from my Department and DfES to encourage more informed and effective teaching about slavery as part of the Understanding Slavery Initiative education project, working with schools and communities. Many other museums, galleries, arts organisations, heritage sites, archives and libraries are currently planning their contribution and how best to involve their local communities. There are plans by faith leaders for a commemoration service in Westminster Abbey; and commemorative stamps and coins. The Heritage Lottery Fund has also funded the following community organisations:
	Action Force Africa
	African Caribbean Emancipation Trust
	African Forum
	Anti Slavery Arch group, Stroud
	Anti Slavery International
	Birmingham and District Local History Association
	Birmingham City Archives
	Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery (working with The Equiano Society)
	Bristol City Council—Bristol Museums and Art Gallery
	Diversity Arts Incubation programme
	Durham University
	Global Education Milton Keynes
	Harewood House Trust
	High Street Ltd.
	Hull Museums and Art Gallery
	Kender Primary School
	Kingston upon Hull City Council (City Arts)
	Lyric Theatre Hammersmith Ltd.
	Merton Black Educational Forum
	Milton Keynes Council
	National Maritime Museum
	National Museums Liverpool
	Open Doors Forum
	Rendezvous of Victory
	St. Pauls Church, Mill Hill
	Streetbase
	Stroud Brunei Group
	Trafford Youth Service
	Watford African Caribbean Association
	Windrush Foundation
	Women in Jazz

Gaming Machines

Sandra Osborne: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment she has made of the impact on seaside economies of the freeze in gaming machine stake and prize levels.

Richard Caborn: There is no policy to freeze stake and prize limits. We announced in October 2004 our policy has been to increase the maximum stake for amusement with prizes (AWP) machines from 30p to 50p, and for jackpot machines in bingo halls from 50p to £1. This would be on full implementation of the Gambling Act in September 2007. The Government made their position clear during the passage of the Gambling Bill through Parliament that these changes would need to be connected with measures to improve social responsibility.
	The stake and prize limits are only one factor amongst many affecting seaside economies. The Government are conscious of the issues facing the machine manufacturing industry, and the pubs, clubs and entertainment centres to whom AWP machines, in particular, are so important.

Survey Databases

Oliver Letwin: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many people havebeen interviewed by her Department as a result of (a) Taking Part: The National Survey of Culture, Leisure and Sport and  (b) surveys undertaken by her Department since 1997.

David Lammy: The information is as follows.
	 (a) To date approximately 22,000 people have been interviewed as a result of Taking Part: The National Survey of Culture Leisure and Sport.
	The total, annual sample size for this survey will be about 30,000. This large sample size is needed to measure changes of 2-3 percentage points in participation rates with a high degree of confidence(95 per cent.), in support of the Department's Public service agreement target 3.
	Until the launch of Taking Part: The National Survey of Culture, Leisure and Sport in 2005, several of our non-departmental public bodies commissioned their own surveys, for example the sport and leisure module within the General Household Survey. Taking Part is a collaborative cross-sectoral survey and in many cases replaces the need for our partner bodies to undertake additional surveys.
	 (b) Aside from Taking Part, the main quantitative surveys of members of the public to which the Department has contributed funding comprise:
	the International Passenger Survey of 250,000 people a year from 2000-01. This is run by the Office for National Statistics and funded mainly by a consortium of Departments. These data are required to meet requirements of the European Union directive on tourism statistics.
	the General Household Survey of 20,000 people a year between 2000-01 and 2004-05, also run by the Office for National Statistics. This provided the Department with data on specific issues such as digital television; and our funding enabled our non-departmental public bodies to commission a more substantial module of questions on sport and leisure; and
	several smaller surveys of 7,500 or fewer, which in total amount to about 50,000 interviews since 1997.

Budgetary Support (Developing World)

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what his policy is on providing direct budgetary support to Governments in the developing world; and if he will make a statement.

Hilary Benn: DFID provides budget support—either direct budget support or sector support—to countries where:
	the partner government's planned budget priorities support the reduction of poverty;
	there is commitment to strengthening administrative, financial and technical systems so that UK funds help to reduce poverty effectively and where,
	giving aid in this way produces benefits that would be unlikely to be achieved through other forms of aid delivery.
	Currently, budget support counts for only 25 per cent. of the UK's bilateral aid programme.

HIV/AIDS

Robert Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment he has made of the outcomes of the recent UN General Assembly special session on HIV/AIDS.

Hilary Benn: The United Nations General Assembly high level meeting agreed a political declaration which met virtually all of the UK's objectives, including: committing countries to develop, by the end of 2006, ambitious national plans to work towards universal access by 2010. Drawing up comprehensive HIV prevention programmes, treatment, care and support, with interim targets for 2008; ensuring that no credible, sustainable national plan should go unfunded, recognising the need to provide from donor countries, national budgets and other sources $20-23 billion annually by 2010 for AIDS responses; and intensifying efforts to develop new technology, especially microbicides and vaccines.

Climate Change

Mark Lazarowicz: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps he is taking to assist developing countries to tackle the impact of climate change.

Hilary Benn: DFID is working to improve the availability and use of climate risk information in Africa through the Global Climate Observing System (GCOS), contributing £5 million over 5 years. We have launched a research programme, with Canada, which aims to improve African countries' capacity to adapt to climate change by building a body of knowledge and research skills which can be incorporated into planning processes, contributing£24 million over 5 years. We are contributing £20 million over 3 years through the United Nations to help countries develop national adaptation strategies. We have started to carry out climate risk assessments of DFID country programmes, starting with Bangladesh.

Democratic Elections in the Congo

Mary Creagh: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps he is taking to support the forthcoming democratic elections in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Hilary Benn: The UK is the largest bilateral donor to the electoral process in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), providing more than £23 million over2 years. This is funding electoral operations through the Independent Electoral Commission, conflict prevention and mediation initiatives, international and national observation projects to ensure the equal participation of men and women, and training and equipping the police to provide security during the elections. The UK has also provided important and sustained political pressure to ensure that the transition remains on track and will continue to do so. I hope to visit the DRC after the electoral process is complete in the autumn.

Zimbabwe

Nicholas Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent assessment he has made of the humanitarian impact of land clearances in Zimbabwe.

Hilary Benn: DFID liaises closely with UN agencies and NGOs who closely monitor ongoing vulnerability among the 700,000 people whose homes or livelihoods were destroyed by the Government of Zimbabwe during last year's Operation Murambatsvina (Drive out Rubbish). The UN is also investigating new episodes of evictions.
	Last year, DFID committed £1.8 million to the humanitarian response, which reached some 200,000 people with food, blankets and other essentials. For many the situation remains difficult, especially regarding shelter. We recently contributed a further £1.1 million to provide practical assistance to vulnerable urban families. We continue to raise concerns through the UN.

Indonesian Earthquake

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development pursuant to his written statement of 5 June 2006,  Official Report, column 11WS, on the Indonesia earthquake, what further humanitarian assistance his Department plans to provide.

Hilary Benn: Immediate relief needs during the emergency phase are largely being met, and we have no plans to commit further humanitarian assistance in addition to the £5 million already announced. The Government of Indonesia are now planning for longer term reconstruction. The UK is ready to support longer term reconstruction, and we will decide on the appropriate level of funding on the basis of an assessment of needs.

Burma

Alistair Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if he will make a statement on the humanitarian situation in Burma.

Gareth Thomas: The humanitarian situation in Burma is very poor. Reliable data are scarce, but many of Burma's 50 million people live in serious poverty—situation exacerbated by the Government's actions. There are reportedly half a million people internally displaced in Eastern Burma, with around 100,000 in hiding in conflict areas, and more than half a million refugees in neighbouring nations. Communicable disease is an acute problem. Over 70 per cent. of the population live in Malaria risk areas and Burma has one of the most serious HIV epidemics in Asia.

Army Bases/Personnel (Northern Ireland)

Peter Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many Army personnel were stationed in Northern Ireland in each of the last five years; and if he will list the operational Army bases in Northern Ireland.

Adam Ingram: I refer the hon. member to the answer I gave to him on 18 July 2005,  Official Report, columns 1320W-1322W. The number of armed forces personnel (Army, Navy and Air Force) stationed in Northern Ireland since then is set out in the following table:
	
		
			   Number of armed forces personnel 
			 31 October 2005 9,490 
			 31 May 2006 8,890 
		
	
	In addition, other troops can be made available to the General Officer Commanding Northern Ireland from Land Command if required, for example during the marching season.
	A list of military sites (military bases and installations, joint PSNI/military bases, towers and observation posts) as at 31 January 2006 was given in the ninth report of the Independent Monitoring Commission. This was laid before Parliament by the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, written ministerial statement, on9 March 2006,  Official Report, column 79WS.
	Since 31 January 2006, three observation towers (R21, R13A and G40) have been closed. Work has been completed on R21 and R13A, and the land has been handed back to Defence Estates for disposal. Work is still ongoing on the G40 site.

Iraq

Philip Dunne: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many armed forces personnel returned fromIraq in 2005 diagnosed with  (a) mental health and (b) physical conditions which required (i) hospital and (ii) rehabilitation treatment in the UK.

Tom Watson: Our records show that 732 armed forces personnel were aeromedically evacuated from Iraq in 2005. Of these, 666 were diagnosed with physical conditions, and 309 of them were treated at the Royal Centre for Defence Medicine at Selly Oak, Birmingham, which is the Ministry of Defence's main receiving hospital for aeromedically evacuated personnel. The others were transferred to other NHS hospitals or referred to community-based care for ongoing treatment. We are unable to determine precisely how many of these patients required hospital treatment or were discharged at the airhead for ongoing care in the community as the relevant database does not contain this information. To provide this information, individual patient records would have to be consulted, and this could only be done at disproportionate cost and with the patient's permission.
	Determining the number of personnel who returned from Iraq with a mental health condition is not straightforward. 66 personnel were aeromedically evacuated in 2005 specifically because they were diagnosed as suffering from a mental health condition, but the number who were diagnosed, after their return, with psychological problems as a result of their service in Iraq is greater than this. The Defence Analytical Services Agency (DASA) was notified of 727 personnel who were referred to the MOD's Departments of Community Mental Health in 2005 with possible mental health problems and subsequently identified as having a psychiatric disorder related to their service in Iraq at any date from 2003. It can also be difficult to determine the underlying causes of some mental health problems, some of which could be caused by a combination of other life events that occurred before or after service in Iraq.

Parliamentary Ombudsman

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list those occasions when the recommendations of a report from the Parliamentary Ombudsman were  (a) rejected and  (b) partly rejected by his Department since 1997.

Tom Watson: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer which my noble Friend Lord Drayson, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Defence Procurement gave in another place on 3 May 2006,  Official Report, column WA87.

RAF Menwith Hill/Fylingdales

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many  (a) US military personnel,  (b) US contractors,  (c) US civilians,  (d) UK military personnel,  (e) Ministry of Defence Police Agency personnel,  (f) GCHQ employees and  (g) UK civilians work at (i) RAF Menwith Hill and (ii) RAF Fylingdales.

Adam Ingram: As at 1 June 2006 the figures for RAF Menwith Hill were: 484 US military personnel; 538 US contractors; 458 US civilians, of which 243 are US Department of Defence civillians; 11 UK military personnel; 161 Ministry of Defence Police and Guarding Agency personnel; I am withholding the number of GCHQ employees in accordance with Government policy of not commenting on intelligence matters; and 231 UK civilian personnel work at the base.
	As of 1 June 2006 the figures for RAF Fylingdales were: One US military personnel; 20 US contractors; nine US civilians; 85 RAF personnel; 104 Ministry of Defence Police and Guarding Agency personnel; there are no GCHQ employees working at RAF Fylingdales; and 37 UK civilian personnel work at the base.

Submarines

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many decommissioned nuclear-powered submarines are awaiting disposal; where they are located; and what estimate he has made of the amount of  (a) high,  (b) intermediate and  (c) low-level nuclear material present in each submarine.

Adam Ingram: There are 13 decommissioned and de-fuelled nuclear powered submarines awaiting disposal that are stored safely afloat—seven at Rosyth and four at Devonport (Plymouth). Two other submarines at Devonport are awaiting de-fuelling prior to being stored afloat pending disposal. The spent fuel is the only high level radioactive material on these submarines.
	On leaving naval service each submarine contains approximately 83 tonnes of intermediate level waste (ILW) and 81 tonnes of low level waste (LLW). A proportion of the ILW will decay over time to LLW. For example, after 30 years, the quantity of ILW would have reduced to approximately 19 tonnes and the LLW proportionally increased to 145 tonnes.

Council Tax

Robert Key: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many properties are  (a) designated as second homes and eligible for a council tax discount and  (b) claiming such a discount in each local authority in Wiltshire.

Phil Woolas: The number of properties in Wiltshire designated as second homes and claiming a discount in council tax as at 19 September 2005, the latest date for which figures are available, are shown in the following table.
	
		
			   Number of properties 
			 Kennet 497 
			 North Wiltshire 43 
			 Salisbury 976 
			 Swindon 79 
			 West Wiltshire 467

Council Tax

Joan Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what assessment she has made of the merits of using the forthcoming council tax revaluation to encourage energy efficiency and waste reduction.

Phil Woolas: In September 2005 the Government announced the postponement of council tax revaluation in England, and have made clear that they do not expect that revaluation will occur during the present Parliament. The Government awaits the final report of the independent inquiry into local government by Sir Michael Lyons, which is due to be submitted by the end of 2006, before deciding whether any reforms to the council tax system are required.

Debt Collectors

Julie Kirkbride: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether  (a) her Department or  (b) its (i) executive agencies and (ii) non-departmental public bodies use the services of private debt collectors.

Angela Smith: The Department for Communities and Local Government and its executive agencies do not currently use the services of private debt collectors. One DCLG non-departmental body uses a private debt collector.

Fire Services

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what use the fire service  (a) has made and  (b) makes of perfluorooctane sulphonate; and what advice and guidance the Department has issued on its use.

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what use the fire services  (a) have made and  (b) make of perfluorooctane sulphonate; and what guidance her Department has issued on its use.

Angela Smith: Perfluorooctane sulphonate, known as PFOS, is used in a number of industrial applications and was used as an ingredient in two particular firefighting foam concentrate ranges for petrochemical fires.
	In October 2004 DEFRA consulted on a national action to restrict the use of PFOS following evidence to suggest that it could be harmful in certain circumstance to both the environment and humans. However, before consultations had been completed, the European Commission suspended our unilateral action and subsequently issued its own draft Directive to restrict the marketing and use of PFOS. In this draft, all current PFOS uses, including firefighting foam, would be allowed to continue. This would not therefore allow the UK to set regulations to ban its use.
	The stocks of foams based on PFOS are diminishing but it is likely that some fire and rescue services do still hold some stocks.
	As a result DCLG, jointly with the Environment Agency, are proposing a voluntary phasing out of PFOS based firefighting foams and will shortly be issuing guidance to the fire and rescue services requesting them to no longer use these foams and instead to consider the use of alternatives once they are satisfied the performance of these alternatives meets their needs. Some fire and rescue services have already voluntarily substituted their stocks of PFOS foams with alternatives, the old foam having been destroyed by incineration.

Local Strategic Partnerships

Iain Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what plans she has to extend the scope and flexibility of local area agreements.

Phil Woolas: Since the launch of LAAs in July 2004, their scope, and the opportunities they offer to local areas, have grown with each round. We have, in particular, seen a significant increase in the number of funding streams capable of being pooled, the introduction of automatically pooled funding streams, the launch of a new Economic Development Block and the trialling of an increasing number of single pot agreements.
	LAAs are rapidly becoming key to the way central Government and local areas do business together. We will continue to refine the LAA framework in the light of experience and in the wider context of the local:vision agenda.

New Deal for Communities

Iain Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what assessment she has made of the merits of introducing a successor funding regime to replace the New Deal for Communities programmes from 2010-11.

Phil Woolas: The Department is currently working with the NDC Partnerships to support their planning in continuing progress after the NDC programme ends in 2010-11. This could involve the Partnerships evolving into different succession organisations and encouraging partners to mainstream services.
	The 2007 Comprehensive Spending Review will examine all DCLG programmes including regeneration and neighbourhood renewal.

Nuclear Rail Freight

Lyn Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether local authorities along the rail routes taken by trains transporting nuclear material are required to prepare emergency plans to deal with an incident involving one of these trains.

Edward Miliband: I have been asked to reply.
	Part 1 of the Civil Contingencies Act 2004 establishes a statutory framework for civil protection activity at the local level. Under this legislation all principal local authorities and other key partners are required to maintain emergency plans, informed by risk assessments, to ensure that they can mobilise an effective emergency response to a range of emergencies including transport accidents. The legislation also requires local authorities and other key partners to exercise these plans and ensure that relevant staff receive adequate training.
	The transport of radioactive material, including nuclear materials, is governed by the stringent internationally-agreed standards recommended by the International Atomic Energy Agency.

Parliamentary Ombudsman

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if she will list those occasions when the recommendations of a report from the Parliamentary Ombudsman were  (a) rejected and  (b) partly rejected by her Department since 1997.

Angela Smith: Since 1997 the Department for Communities and Local Government and its Agencies have not refused or omitted to give effect to the recommendations of the Parliamentary Ombudsman, either concerning complaints about administrative practices, service delivery or complaints made under the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.
	Information available for Department for Communities and Local Government specific cases that concern Government offices shows that they have not refused or omitted to give effect to the recommendations of the Parliamentary Ombudsman, either concerning complaints about administrative practices, service delivery or complaints made under the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.
	The Department for Communities and Local Government holds no comprehensive central information on the status of all Ombudsman cases in other Government Departments involving, or partly involving, Government offices. That information would be available only at disproportionate cost.

Public Transport

Joan Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what discussions she has had with the Department for Transport on ensuring that improved public transport is an integral part of the community regeneration programmes.

Phil Woolas: The Government continues to consider all aspects of regeneration as part of the remit of the Domestic Affairs (Communities) cabinet committee.
	The two Departments work together to ensure that the Government's aim to deliver sustainable improvements in economic performance, and inclusive society, a better environment and better quality of life are achieved. Not only is this work carried forward inter-departmentally across central Government, but it is undertaken on a day to day basis by the integrated Government offices in each region.

Arms Exports

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what measures are in place to ensure that arms exported from the UK to equip Iraqi security forces are not diverted to other users; and if he will make a statement.

Ian McCartney: All export licence applications are assessed against the Consolidated Criterion taking account of any information we may hold on the end-user, the criterion specifically require assessment of the risk of diversion. If there is a clear risk that the proposed export would contravene any of the criteria, a licence is refused. In the case of Iraq, where not explicitly exempt, UNSCR 1546 additionally requires certification from the Iraqi Government or the Multi-National Force assisting it, that the goods are necessary for the purposes of giving effect to UNSCR 1546 and are therefore exempt from the embargo on Iraq.

ECGD Costs

Jim Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the administrative cost of the Export Credits Guarantee Department was in each year between 2002-03 and 2005-06, broken down into  (a) staffcosts,  (b) accommodation costs,  (c) consultancy costs,  (d) IT costs,  (e) external legal costs and  (f) other costs.

Ian McCartney: The Export Credits Guarantee Department's audited administrative costs in each year between 2002-03 and 2004-05 were:
	
		
			  £ million 
			   2002-03  2003-04  2004-05 
			 Staff costs 14.022 14.806 15.157 
			 Accommodation costs 4.282 5.271 4.201 
			 Consultancy costs 1.031 0.833 0.539 
			 IT costs 4.388 5.676 8.580 
			 External legal costs 0.822 0.324 1.081 
			 Other costs 1.620 3.625 1.804 
		
	
	The audited costs for 2005-06 are not yet available.

Nuclear Power Stations

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the recommended decommissioning dates are for each nuclear power station built in the UK; and what the  (a) recommended and  (b) actual decommissioning date was for nuclear power stations which have been decommissioned.

Malcolm Wicks: The Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) assumed responsibility for the decommissioning and clean up of the UK's civil nuclear legacy on 1 April 2005. The NDA has four operational Magnox nuclear power stations: Dungeness A, Sizewell A, Oldbury, and Wylfa; and, seven which are being decommissioned: Berkeley, Bradwell, Chapelcross, Calder Hall, Hinkley A, Hunterston A, Trawsfynydd. The recently approved NDA strategy contains the following assumptions of end dates and states, but also signals that the NDA intends to review these in consultation with stakeholders in the near future. Details are as follows:
	
		
			  Non-operational Magnox  Lifetime  End state/date 
			 Berkeley (Gloucestershire) 1962-1989 Delicensed/2083 
			 Bradwell (Essex) 1962-2002 Delicensed/2103 
			 Calder Hall (Cumbria) 1956-2003 Site cleared for delicensing/2117 
			 Chapelcross (Scotland) 1959-2004 Undetermined/2128 
			 Hinkley Point A (Somerset) 1965-2000 Delicensed/2104 
			 Hunterston A (Scotland) 1964-1989 Delicensed/2090 
			 Trawsfynydd (Wales) 1965-1991 Delicensed/2096 
		
	
	
		
			  Operational Magnox  Lifetime/planned closure date  
			 Dungeness A (Kent) 1965-2006/planned to cease generation end 2006 Landscaped/2111 
			 Sizewell A (Suffolk) 1966-2006/planned to cease generation end 2006 Delicensed/2110 
			 Oldbury (Gloucestershire) 1967-2008/planned to cease generation end 2008 Delicensed/2118 
			 Wylfa (Wales) 1971-2010/planned to cease generation end 2010 Brownfield/2125 
		
	
	British Energy (BE) has eight operational power stations (seven Advanced Gas-cooled Reactor (AGR) Stations and one Pressurised Water Reactor (PWR)). The following table sets out BE's current estimated dates for station closure (and thereby decommissioning). Any changes to these dates will be a matter for BE, subject to approval from the NDA in certain circumstances: Current proposals are:
	
		
			   Lifetime  Scheduled closure 
			  AGR Stations   
			 Dungeness B (Kent) 35 years 2018 
			 Hinkley Point B (Somerset) 35 years 2011 
			 Hunterston B (Scotland) 35 years 2011 
			 Heysham 1 (Lane's) 30 years 2014 
			 Hartlepool (Teesside) 30 years 2014 
			 Torness (Scotland) 35 years 2023 
			 Heysham 2 (Cleveland) 35 years 2023 
			  PWR Station   
			 Sizewell B (Suffolk) 40 years 2035 
		
	
	The NDA's Strategy is available through its website at: www.nda.gov.uk.

OECD Guidelines (Multinationals)

Paul Holmes: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry 
	(1)  what steps his Department has taken to promote the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development's Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises;
	(2)  how many UK registered companies have adopted the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development's Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises;
	(3)  what steps his Department has taken to co-operate with non-governmental organisations in the promotion and implementation of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development's Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises;
	(4)  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many complaints have been investigated by the UK National Contact Point in each year since 2000; and when each case was  (a) filed and  (b) concluded;
	(5)  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the  (a) nature and  (b) outcome was of each complaint made to the UK National Contact Point in each year since 2000.

Ian McCartney: The Government are committed to the effective promotion and implementation of the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises. For example, on 20 December 2004, the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry wrote to the chairmen of all FTSE 100 companies drawing their attention to the importance of the guidelines and their relevance in developing corporate codes of conduct. The UK's National Contact Point (NCP) for the guidelines also liaises with non-governmental and business organisations on a regular basis, both formally and informally, to discuss the promotion and implementation of the guidelines.
	In September 2005, the Government consulted stakeholders on possible improvements to the NCP's promotion and implementation of the guidelines. We intend to publish a formal response in the near future.
	The guidelines are recommendations addressed by governments to multinational enterprises. They are not adopted, as such, by companies.

Offshore Petroleum Licensing

Mark Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry pursuant to the Answer of 23 May 2006,  Official Report, columns 1635-6W on Offshore Petroleum Licensing; if he will publish the results of the Appropriate Assessment into the 24(th) Licensing Round; and what applications have been made in the 24(th) Round of offshore petroleum licensing for production consents for field developments in the Cardigan Bay area.

Malcolm Wicks: holding answer 13 June 2006
	As of 13 June 2006, two 24(th) Round licence applications have been received—neither are for acreage in the Cardigan Bay area. However the Round is open to applications until 16 June 2006. Once the Appropriate Assessment for the Round has been completed we will take a decision on whether to publish the results. In any event, the results of this and any other necessary Appropriate Assessments relating to the Round will be available on request.
	Also, as indicated in my Answer of 23 May 2006,  Official Report, columns 1635-6W, drilling and production consents are not part of the licence award and have to be sought separately from the Department at a later stage and are subject to further environmental scrutiny.

Civil Service Pensions

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Minister for Women and Equality if she will make a statement on equality of pensions in the civil service.

Patrick McFadden: I have been asked to reply.
	The Principal Civil Service Pension Scheme (PCSPS) is a final salary scheme. Benefits are worked out as a proportion of final pensionable earnings multiplied by years of service. Men and women have paid the same level of contributions and received benefits calculated on the same basis, including contingent dependants' benefits, in respect of service from 1 July 1987. To the extent that they have consistent career and salary patterns the pension scheme therefore provides equal benefits.
	New entrants to the civil service since October 2002 have, as an alternative to joining the PCSPS, been eligible to join partnership a stakeholder pension arrangement, providing benefits on a money purchase basis. Employer contributions to partnership are between 3 per cent. and 12.5 per cent. of pensionable earnings based on the member's age but regardless of gender. Employers also match employee contributions up to 3 per cent. of pensionable earnings.
	In addition amendments to the rules of the PCSPS will be laid before the House before the summer recess. These amendments will ensure that the pension arrangements do not discriminate on the grounds of age without any objective justification.

Public Sector Information

Don Foster: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many public information programmes have been broadcast since 1997, broken down by commissioning department; and how much such programmes cost  (a) to produce and  (b) to screen.

Patrick McFadden: There have been 436 public information films produced since 1997. The numbers of public information films broken down by commissioning department are shown in the following table.
	
		
			  Public information films produced since 1997 
			  Client  Number 
			 Charity Commission 1 
			 Countryside Agency 6 
			 Countryside Agency for Wales 1 
			 Department of Communities and Local Government 22 
			 Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 29 
			 Department for Education and Skills 25 
			 Department for Transport 36 
			 Department for Work and Pensions 20 
			 Department of Health 48 
			 Department for Trade and Industry 63 
			 Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency 7 
			 Electoral Commission 2 
			 Energy Savings Trust 33 
			 Experience Corps 2 
			 Financial Services Agency 1 
			 Food Standards Agency 2 
			 Foreign and Commonwealth Office 25 
			 Health and Safety Executive 1 
			 Highways Agency 2 
			 HM Revenue and Customs 10 
			 Home Office 18 
			 London 2012 6 
			 Maritime and Coastguard Agency 4 
			 National Statistics 2 
			 NHS Blood and Transplant 46 
			 Office of Fair Trading 1 
			 Scotland National Blood TS 1 
			 Tidy Britain Group 2 
			 University for Industry 3 
			 Victim Support 1 
			 Water UK 1 
			 Welsh Assembly Government 15 
			 Total (since 1997) 436 
		
	
	Production of a public information film costs approximately £60,284 (based on an average of all public information films produced during the last three years).
	Screening costs for a public information film are: broadcast tape copies, £2,500; annual marketing of film to broadcasters, £7,650; and airtime, free of charge.
	We expect a public information film to recoup both production and marketing costs in equivalent airtime value within the first three months in circulation.

Administration Estimate

Andrew Dismore: To ask the hon. Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission pursuant to the Answer of 25 May 2006 to Question 73851, how much was spent from the Administration Estimate on clothing and uniforms for  (a) Clerks at the Table,  (b) Serjeants at Arms and (c) the Secretary and Assistant Secretary to the Speaker in each of the last 3 years; and if he will make a statement.

Nick Harvey: The information requested is as follows:
	
		
			  £ 
			   Clerks at the Table  Serjeants at Arms  Speaker's Office 
			 2003-04 3,658 8,773 6,483 
			 2004-05 5,802 17,343 4,828 
			 2005-06 4,016 13,507 7,267 
			  Note:These figures include the uniform allowance for the Assistant Secretary to the Speaker.

Works of Art Collection

Norman Baker: To ask the hon. Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission how many works of art from the Worksof Art Collection have been reported  (a) missing and  (b) stolen in each year since 1997; and what their estimated value was in each case.

Nick Harvey: There have been no reports of missing or stolen works of art in the House of Commons since 1997. The Parliamentary Art Collection (Lords and Commons) has approximately 7,500 works of art, spread widely throughout the parliamentary estate. Some 5,000 are currently recorded as being within the House of Commons buildings.

Ambulance Service

Mark Durkan: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what assessment he has made of  (a) the facilities and  (b) the extent of ambulance cover in the Strabane district council area in each of the last three years; and whether ambulance service staff usually employed in the Strabane area have been redeployed to Derry since the opening of the new Northland Road base.

Paul Goggins: Ambulance cover in the Strabane district council area is provided from stations in Strabane and Castlederg. A 2004-05 Estate Appraisal, carried out by the Health Estates Agency, identified the need for separate male and female facilities at Strabane Ambulance Station and some minor alterations at Castlederg Ambulance Station. The Northern Ireland Ambulance Service (NIAS) is currently making arrangements to carry out this work.
	During the last three years, ambulance cover has been provided as follows:
	
		
			   Days 
			  Strabane Ambulance Station  
			 08.00 to 20.00 hours (1 A and E crew) Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday 
			 08.00 to 20.00 hours cover provided from Altnagelvin Thursday 
			 20.00 to 08.00 hours (1 A and E crew) Monday to Sunday 
			   
			  Castlederg Ambulance Station  
			 08.00 to 17.00 hours (1 A and E crew) Monday to Saturday 
			 17.00 to 23.00 hours (cover provided by Strabane and Omagh stations) Monday to Saturday 
			 08.00 to 23.00 hours (cover provided by Strabane and Omagh stations) Sunday 
			 23.00 to 08.00 hours (1 A and E crew) Monday to Sunday 
		
	
	No ambulance crews have been redeployed from the Strabane or Castlederg ambulance stations to stations in Derry. Cover at the new Northland Road deployment point is provided by Altnagelvin Ambulance Station crews. As NIAS deploys ambulance resources dynamically to match predicted and actual demand, Strabane or Castlederg ambulances may respond to incidents in Derry. However, control staff ensure that time spent by crews away from their base station is kept to a minimum.

Benefit Payments

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what proportion of Social Security Agency customers have their benefits paid  (a) directly into a bank or building society account,  (b) via aPost Office card account,  (c) by cheque and  (d) in cash.

David Hanson: The information requested (at March 2006) is shown in the following table:
	
		
			  Method of payment  Percentage of social security agency customers 
			 Direct payment into a bank or building society account 58.8 
			 Via a Post Office card account 37.7 
			 Cheque payment 3.5 
			 Cash ? 
			 Total 100

Child Abuse

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many children were admitted to hospital in Northern Ireland with injuries that gave rise to subsequent investigations for abuse in the last three years; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Goggins: Information is not collected centrally in the format requested. However, information is collected on the number of child protection referrals to social services where the source of referral is categorised as "hospital". The number of such referrals are shown in the following table for the financial years 2002-03 to 2004-05. The number of referrals does not equate to the number of children referred, as a child may be referred more than once during the financial year.
	
		
			  Child protection referrals from hospital source 
			   Number 
			 2002-03 115 
			 2003-04 119 
			 2004-05 96 
		
	
	All children and young people who are seen by hospital staff will be managed in accordance with the regional Child Protection Policy and Procedures guidance issued by the Health and Social Services Board Area Child Protection Committees.
	All hospital staff have access to the child protection register and there would be an expectation that appropriate checks would be made where there are concerns about any child.

Children in Care

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the change was in the average number of children in care in Northern Ireland between 1995 and 2005.

Paul Goggins: Information is not collected centrally on the average number of children in care; however, the number of children in care at 31 March 2006 each year is collected and this is detailed in Table 1 below annually from 1995 to 2005, the latest year for which information is available.
	Column 1 of Table 1 details the year to which the information relates, column 2 the numbers of children in care on 31 March for that year, column 3 shows the numbers of children in care per 10,000 of the population aged under 18, and column 4 details the year to year percentage change in the numbers of children in care at 31 March 2006.
	
		
			  Table 1: Number of children in care in Northern Ireland, 1995 to 2005 
			   Number of children in care at 31 March 2006  Rate per 10,000 population  Percentage from previous year 
			 1995 2,624 56.2  
			 1996 2,625 56.2 0.0 
			 1997 2,431 52.1 -7.4 
			 1998 2,354 50.8 -3.2 
			 1999 2,324 50.5 -1.3 
			 2000 2,422 53.1 4.2 
			 2001 2,414 53.6 -0.3 
			 2002 2,453 54.8 1.6 
			 2003 2,446 55.3 -0.3 
			 2004 2,510 57.4 2.6 
			 2005 2,531 57.9 0.8

Departmental Finance

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much was redistributed through resource-releasing savings  (a) by each Northern Ireland Department, agency and non-departmental public body and  (b) in total during 2005-06; and if he will make a statement.

David Hanson: Targets for resource-releasing savings for each Department were set in the course of the Priorities and Budget 2005-08 process, with the relevant amounts being redistributed at that time.
	The following table summarises the targets for each Department, with the amount specified covering the core Department, its agencies and non-departmental public bodies. Efficiency technical notes, outlining how Departments intend to deliver their efficiency targets, are available on departmental websites.
	Outturn information in respect of the efficiencies delivered in 2005-06 is not yet available.
	
		
			  Efficiency gains identified by NI Departments 
			  £ million 
			   2005-06  2006-07  2007-08 
			   Total efficiencies  Of which:  resource-releasing  Total efficiencies  Of which:  resource-releasing  Total efficiencies  Of which:  resource-releasing 
			 DARD 6.8 3.4 13.8 6.9 21.0 10.5 
			 DCAL 2.6 1.3 5.2 2.6 7.9 4.0 
			 DE 46.4 20.7 81.2 41.9 120.0 63.6 
			 DEL 18.3 8.6 36.4 17.3 53.0 26.3 
			 DETI 8.2 3.7 14.4 7.0 20.6 10.9 
			 DFP 3.9 1.0 8.7 5.7 16.2 11.7 
			 DHSSPS 78.3 43.3 156.7 81.7 239.2 124.2 
			 DOE 3.7 1.8 7.1 3.6 10.3 5.6 
			 DRD 24.1 17.8 39.1 30.3 48.5 39.4 
			 DSD 13.6 6.8 27.5 13.8 49.5 35.7 
			 OFMDFM 2.1 1.7 2.6 2.4 2.7 2.4 
			 FSA 0.0 0.0 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 
			 Total 208.0 110.1 392.9 213.4 588.8 334.4

Deprivation

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps have been taken to address the deprivation identified by the Northern Ireland Department of Finance and Personnel on26 May 2005 in the Drumgask, Drumnamoe, Corcrain, Drumgor and Court areas of Craigavon.

David Hanson: Drumgask, Drumnamoe, Corcrain, Drumgor and Court areas in Craigavon were identified by the Northern Ireland Measures of Deprivation (New Noble Index) as being in the 10 per cent. most deprived urban areas in Northern Ireland.
	The Government's main strategy for tackling areas of high urban deprivation is Neighbourhood Renewal and three local Neighbourhood Partnerships have been established in the Craigavon borough council area to help take forward the strategy in the areas that have been identified as deprived. The Drumgask and Drumgor areas are covered by the Brownlow Partnership; the Court and Drumnanoe areas are covered by the Lurgan Partnership and the Corcrain area is covered by the Portadown Partnership.
	All three partnerships are currently working in consultation with interested parties to develop a Vision Framework and Action Plan that will set out in detail the programmes and activities needed to address deprivation and improve services. Local consultation is expected to take place later this year.

Early Years Services

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how the additional £1.2 million announced on 26 May 2005 to maintain front-line early years services in Northern Ireland was spent; and how much remained unspent.

Paul Goggins: On 26 May 2005, my predecessor, the Under-Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, the hon. Member for St. Helens, South(Mr. Woodward), announced an additional £1.2 million to support projects previously funded under 'Peace Measure 2.5—Investing in Childcare'.
	Projects were invited to apply for this funding and had to demonstrate that they met the criteria in providing direct services to children in areas of low provision where the service is critical to provision in that area; or services that have targeted provisionfor ethnic minorities, traveller children and children with a disability.
	In 2005-06 £1.2 million has been committed to 128 successful projects, and all funds have been fully utilised.

Medication (Sell-by Dates)

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps are taken by pharmacies in Northern Ireland to ensure that  (a) over the counter drugs,  (b) alternative medicines and  (c) prescription medicines are all within their sell by dates; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Goggins: A pharmacist is required to conform to all the legal controls pertaining to the quality, safety and efficacy of medicines, whether prescription or over-the-counter. In addition his/her professional standards of ethics and practice require him/her to ensure that dispensed products are in date.
	This is also the case in relation to homeopathic or herbal medicines. However, many alternative therapies are not licensed medicines and are, therefore, subject to the laws governing foods.

National Stadium

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many discussions officials from  (a) his office and  (b) the Strategic Investment Board have had with (i) Lisburn city council, (ii) Belfast city council and (iii) other local authorities on the proposals for a new national stadium.

Maria Eagle: Officials from the Department of Culture Art and Leisure (DCAL) and the strategic investment board (SIB) have had one formal meeting with Belfast city council specifically on the proposal for a new multi-sports stadium. In addition SIB officials have had several informal discussions with Belfast city council officials. There have been no discussions between officials from either my office or SIB with Lisburn city council or other local authorities on the same issue.

Planning Applications

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what average time was taken by the Planning Service to process planning applications in the most recent period for which figures are available.

David Cairns: In the fiscal year 2005-06 the average time to process planning applications by the Planning Service was 31.04 weeks.

Planning Applications

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the conclusions were of the Planning Service's 2005-06 Customer Satisfaction Survey.

David Cairns: The 2005-06 customer survey of applicants/agents has just recently been completed and results are currently being analysed. I will write to the hon. Member to advise him of the results when they become available.

Planning Applications

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what proportion of industrial applications were processed by the Planning Service to decision or withdrawal within 17 weeks in the last period for which figures are available.

David Cairns: In the fiscal year 2005-06 the proportion of industrial applications processed by the Planning Service within 17 weeks to decision or withdrawal was 40.01 per cent.

Planning Applications

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what proportion of commercial applications were processed by the Planning Service to decision or withdrawal within 18 weeks in the last period for which figures are available.

David Cairns: In the fiscal year 2005-06 the proportion of commercial applications processed by the Planning Service within 18 weeks to decision or withdrawal was 42.65 per cent.

Vaccines

Peter Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many MMR vaccines the Department of Health and Social Services has committed to purchasing for use in Northern Ireland for 2006-07 and 2007-08.

Paul Goggins: The Department of Health (London) purchases stocks of MMR vaccine under the National Childhood Vaccine Contract to meet the needs of the entire UK vaccination programme. Northern Ireland participates in this national contract and HPSS trusts purchase supplies of MMR vaccine as required to meet local needs. Vaccine is purchased on a demand basis from UK stocks based on previous usage. Therefore Northern Ireland has not committed to purchase any firm quantity of MMR vaccine for 2006-07 and 2007-08 but will purchase vaccine to meet the needs of the vaccination programme.

Waterside Health Centre

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the expected final cost to public funds is of the design, preparation and build of the new Waterside Health Centre in Londonderry.

Paul Goggins: The development of the new Waterside Health Centre, Distillery Brae, is being taken forward independently by three GP practices in the area. The full use of the building has yet to be confirmed, however, as part of the development Foyle Health and Social Services Trust has agreed to utilise the third floor of the building in order to provide a range of essential local health services. The cost of the design, preparation and fit-out for this floor will fall to Foyle HSS Trust and is estimated to be £927,417.
	
		
			  Level 3  £ 
			 Design 79,299 
			 Fit-out 848,118 
			 Total 927,417

Child Sexual Abuse (Northern Ireland)

Lady Hermon: To ask the Solicitor-General what criteria are used by the Public Prosecution Service of Northern Ireland in deciding whether to prosecute those found guilty of sexual abuse against children; and how many such prosecutions there have been in Northern Ireland in each of the last five years.

Mike O'Brien: All prosecution decisions are reached in accordance with the provisions of the Code for Prosecutors in that there must be sufficient evidence to afford a reasonable prospect of a conviction and prosecution must be in the public interest. The Public Prosecution Service takes all allegations of sexual abuse very seriously and an indication of the factors that are required to be considered in reaching decisions are set out in the Code.
	The following table sets out the figures requested for prosecutions in Northern Ireland in each of the last5 years.
	
		
			   Crown court  Magistrates court 
			 2001-02 14 2 
			 2002-03 32 7 
			 2003-04 43 9 
			 2004-05 75 7 
			 2005-06 69 7 
			 Total 233 32

Disability Access

David Simpson: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs whether any building in her Department falls short of disability access regulations.

Vera Baird: Save for the exceptions detailed below, the majority of buildings used by the Department for Constitutional Affairs are now believed to be compliant with the Disability Discrimination Act as regards accessibility for all users. There was some slippage with regard to works required by 1 October 2004 deadline at a small number of locations, but these have since been addressed.
	Following on from the transfer of the magistrates courts estate to Her Majesty's Courts Service (an Executive agency of the Department for Constitutional Affairs) on 1 April 2005, a programme of access audits has been carried out to establish the degree of compliance of the magistrates courts buildings with the Act and to put in place managed solutions where appropriate. In parallel with this interim solution, a programme of works has now been agreed and costed and will be implemented as soon as practical.

Dr David Kelly

Norman Baker: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs if she will list the categories of information available to Lord Hutton for his inquiry into the death of Dr. David Kelly in respect of which some or all information has been (a) withheld from the public and  (b) destroyed.

Harriet Harman: None of the evidence submitted to Lord Hutton for his Inquiry has been destroyed.
	The website for the Inquiry www.the-hutton-inquiry.org.uk contains a list of all evidence submitted to the Inquiry. Where that evidence has been withheld from the public a reason has been given. Most of the evidence is, however, available to the public through the website.
	The original documents supplied to the Inquiry are held at the National Archives.

FOI Requests

Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs how many requests under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 for the disclosure of personal information from the 1911 census have been received by the National Archives since 29 January 2006; and what the outcome was in cases where the applicants provided documentary evidence that all the 1911 residents of a specific property were no longer alive.

Harriet Harman: The National Archives has received42 requests to access information contained in the1911 census returns in the period between 29 January and 17 May 2006. All of these requests, including one where the inquirer provided evidence that all persons believed to be resident at a particular address in 1911 are now deceased, were denied on the grounds that the s.41 exemption of the Freedom of Information Act—relating to information provided in confidence—applies. These decisions were taken in the context of the Government's policy that decennial census returns should be closed for 100 years.

HM Revenue and Customs

Philip Davies: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether some HM Revenue and Customs training courses are offered only to certain members of staff based on  (a) sex,  (b) ethnic origin and  (c) sexual orientation; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: HMRC has in the past and continues to offer development programmes to members of staff based on their sex, race or sexual orientation, usually with a mix of participants from various backgrounds.
	These training programmes are offered as part of the Department's positive action programme which is in place to assist in righting the imbalance of under represented groups at higher grades. Both the Sex Discrimination Act 1975 and the Race RelationsAct 1976 allow positive action.

Departmental Pensions

Robert Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if she will estimate the pension liability of her Department over the next 30 years.

Geoff Hoon: HM Treasury placed a technical Note about the total liability of unfunded public service occupational pension schemes in the Library of the House on 2 March 2006,  Official Report, columns 388-90W following an oral Statement by my right hon. Friend the then Chief Secretary to the Treasury(Des Browne).
	The Government Actuaries Department do not estimate pension liabilities for individual departments but for different pension schemes. UK-based staff at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office are covered by the Principal Civil Service Pension Scheme (PCSPS). Table 1 of HM Treasury's Note of 2 March 2006 sets out estimates of the liabilities of the PCSPS.

James Miller

Richard Younger-Ross: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations she has made to the Israeli authorities regarding the prosecution of the soldiers and commanding officer involved in the killing of British cameraman James Miller in May 2003 since theSt. Pancras coroner's verdict.

Kim Howells: My noble and learned Friend the Attorney-General is responsible for matters relating to possible prosecutions in the United Kingdom. Following the coroner's verdict he and my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary separately met James Miller's family. During his subsequent visit to Israel in May, the Attorney-General had detailed discussions on this matter and indeed the killing of Thomas Hurndall, with the Israeli Foreign Minister, Minister of Justice, Attorney-General and Military Advocate General and others. In addition the Attorney-General raised the issue of holding an independent inquiry into the death and subsequent investigation and pressed for appropriate compensation to be paid to the family without delay. My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary is in contact with the Attorney-General about how this matter will be taken forward.

UK-Israeli Relations

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment she has made of the possible effect on UK-Israeli relations of the boycott of Israeli academics by the National Association of Teachers of Further and Higher Education; and if she will make a statement.

Kim Howells: The Government regrets the decision by the National Association of Teachers in Further and Higher Education (NATFHE) to vote in favour of boycotting Israeli academics and institutions. We believe that such boycotts are counter-productive and that far more can be obtained through dialogue and academic co-operation.
	My noble Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, Lord Triesman of Tottenham, issued a public statement on the boycott on 29 May 2006. The full text of the statement is available on the Foreign and Commonwealth Office website at:
	http://www.fco.gov.uk/servlet/Front?pagename=OpenMarket/Xcelerate/ShowPage&c=Page&cid=1007029391638&a=KArticle&aid=1148472774425%20&year=2006&month=2006-05-01&date=2006-05-29
	I understand that, following the merger between NATFHE and the Association of University teachers on 1 June, the boycott has now been suspended.

Ambulance Services

Michael Fabricant: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether the Staffordshire Ambulance Service will be merged into a West Midlands Ambulance Service within 24 months; and if she will make a statement.

Rosie Winterton: As stated by my hon. Friend the Member for Leigh (Andy Burnham) in his statement to the House on 16 May 2006, for now Staffordshire Ambulance Service NHS Trust will remain a separate trust, working in partnership with the new West Midlands Ambulance Service NHS Trust, but will merge at a later date.
	No timescale has been set for this merger.

Cannabis (Therapeutic Use)

David Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress has been made in testing medicinal products containing cannabis for pain relief; and if she will make a statement.

Andy Burnham: There have been two main investigators of cannabis based medicinal product and these are Dr. Zajicek and GW Pharmaceuticals.Dr. Zajicek published the results of his study in the Lancet in November 2003 (Cannabinoids for treatment of Spasticity and other symptoms related to multiple sclerosis (cannabis in multiple sclerosis (CAMS) study). The 3 year CAMS trial, involving more than 600 patients in the United Kingdom, has yielded no definitive verdict on whether the drug can ease the symptoms of multiple sclerosis. I am not aware of any other ongoing studies by Dr. Zajicek.
	On 17 March 2006, GW Pharmaceuticals announced the preliminary results from a Phase III study of Sativex (cannabis based medicinal product) in the relief of spasticity in people with multiple sclerosis (MS). This study is a randomized, placebo controlled group study in 335 MS patients with spasticity. According to the GW website, this study is one of a number of Phase III studies which are currently taking place to support approval of Sativex across Europe in a range of targeted indications.

Departmental Statistical Publications

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the planned publication date is of each annual statistical publication to be produced by her Department in the next nine months; and if she will make a statement.

Andy Burnham: Timing of annual and other statistical publications produced by the Department is pre-announced by way of a 12-month publication plan which is available on the Department's website at:
	www.dh.gov.uk/PublicationsAndStatistics/Statistics/CodeOf Practice/12MonthPlan/fs/en?CONTENT_ID=40164238&chk=Eldbg/
	This plan also currently includes statistical publications produced by The Information centre for health and social care.
	The Department process for pre-announcing statistical publications is carried out in accordance with the National Statistics protocol for release practices. Month of publication is given six months ahead with exact date at least two weeks ahead.

GP Contract

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make a statement on the cost of the new general practitioner contract.

Rosie Winterton: Introduction of the new primary medical care contractual frameworks represents a fundamental change in the way in which contractors are incentivised to deliver patient care. The new arrangements were underpinned by a three-year deal, ending in 2005-06, which guaranteed a 36 per cent. increase in resources in England, rising from£5 billion in 2002-03 to £6.8 billion in 2005-06.
	Evidence from primary care trust (PCT) expenditure returns show PCTs have also made available additional resources to secure the wider range of services and improvements in care to meet national and local priorities.
	The increased investment is directly benefiting the vast majority of patients who are experiencing improvements not only in the range of services available locally but also improvements in the quality of clinical services they receive.

Medical Services Contracts

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether  (a) GPs and  (b) private firms that win alternative provider of medical services contracts are required to disclose (i) how much money per patient they are earning, (ii) their quality framework score and (iii) their profit levels.

Rosie Winterton: Individual general practitioners or providers of alternative provider medical services are not required to disclose to the Department the amount of money they receive per patient, or profit levels. Information about quality and outcomes framework scores for providers who participate in this scheme is published by The Information Centre for health and social care.

Mental Health

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether the black and minority ethnic mental health network  (a) has been and  (b) is (i) involved in and (ii) given appropriate notice of the development, implementation and facilitation of the race equality impact assessment consultation events on the Mental Health Bill; and if she will take steps to ensure that the network is (A) involved in and (B) given appropriate notice of future such events.

Rosie Winterton: holding answer 22 May 2006
	Seven events were held, attended by about 430 people across England and in Wales as part of the process of consultation to assess the potential race impact of the proposed amendments to the 1983 Mental Health Act and the 2005 Mental Capacity Act. The black and minority ethnic (BME) mental health network was involved in the initial development of the race equality impact assessment (REIA) consultation events. Due to an unfortunate breakdown in communications over the timing of the events, the network decided to withdraw their support from the events. We apologised for any misunderstanding and sought to involve the network in the events. The events were attended by a range of users and carers, including representatives from the African-Caribbean, South Asian, Irish, Pakistani and Chinese communities.
	Professor Antony Sheehan, Director General of the care services directorate, is now personally overseeing this work and is meeting with members of the BME network on 19 June 2006 to discuss how to continue taking this forward. This meeting will be followed by a ministerial meeting with members of the BME network on 20 June 2006. In the meantime, the Department's REIA advisory group met on 31 May and agreed to further work on the impact of the amendments to the Mental Health Act. The REIA advisory group has met on 13 June 2006. One of the members of the Department's REIA advisory group is from MIND, and is also the co-chair of the BME network. The BME network continue to engage as part of the wider REIA process and we value their helpful input.

Benefit Recipients

Edward Miliband: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many  (a) social fund,  (b) incapacity benefit and  (c) family credit recipients there were on average in each and what the average award was in each year ward in Doncaster North in (i) 1984, (ii) 1994 and (iii) 2004; in each case.

Anne McGuire: The information is not available in the format requested. Social fund and family credit data is not available at ward level. Incapacity benefit and severe disablement allowance data is not available at ward level prior to August 1999. The available information for incapacity benefit and severe disablement allowance is in the following table.
	
		
			  Incapacity benefit and severe disablement allowance claimants and average weekly amount, by ward, Doncaster North parliamentary constituency, August 2004 
			  Ward name  Total claimants  Average weekly amount (£) 
			 Adwick 1,260 84.41 
			 Askern 765 87.06 
			 Bentley Central 980 84.50 
			 Bentley North Road 630 84.16 
			 Stainforth 1,045 87.14 
			 Thorne 1,280 84.52 
			  Notes:  1. Claimant numbers have been rounded to a multiple of 5 and average amounts to the nearest penny.  2. Claimants figures include all incapacity benefit and severe disablement allowance cases, including incapacity benefit credit only cases.  3. The average weekly amount does not include credit only cases.   Source:  DWP Work and Pensions Longitudinal Study 100 per cent data.

Benefits (Information Leaflets)

Ian Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps he plans to take to ensure that leaflets on pensions and disability benefits from his Department are freely available at  (a) post offices,  (b) libraries,  (c) doctors' surgeries,  (d) council offices and  (e) citizens advice bureaux.

Anne McGuire: Although there is no national agreement for the display of leaflets at libraries, doctors' surgeries, council offices and citizens advice bureaux there are a number of routes which ensure the availability of leaflets at these locations.
	The Pension Service's local service teams, located throughout England, Scotland and Wales, have local partnerships with external organisations and formally monitor the use and availability of leaflets at 'Hard Copy Information Points' on partner premises. They also share local knowledge and experience of which leaflets are the most popular and most useful to our customers.
	The 80,000 subscribers to the Department's Publicity Register receive a quarterly newsletter called 'Touchbase' which provides details of current and forthcoming information campaigns. Subscribers are also able to order leaflets directly from the Department through its on-line catalogue of information products.
	Some private companies provide information services in public locations such as libraries and doctors' waiting rooms. The costs of providing this service are usually met directly by the Department or the by the venue but the information remains free of any charge to the public.
	Recent customer research has indicated that disabled people would prefer information to be available at the point of diagnosis. The Disability and Carers Service are proposing to develop an awareness poster for display in locations such as doctors' surgeries, hospitals and local authorities that will signpost potential customers to more detailed information. Where possible the outlet displaying the poster will also hold stocks of leaflets.
	There is no longer any contractual agreement with the Post Office to display DWP leaflets.

Departmental Expenditure

Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the annual expenditure on training and development by  (a) his Department and  (b) each (i) non-departmental public body, (ii) executive agency and (iii) other public body for which he is responsible in (A) Scotland, (B) Wales, (C) each of the English regions and (D) Northern Ireland was in each of the last three financial years; and what the planned expenditure is for 2005-06.

Anne McGuire: The following tables show the total expenditure for staff training and development for DWP, its agencies and its associate bodies at a national level. Full information by region is not available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
	
		
			  Training and Development expenditure for DWP 2002-03 to 2005-06 
			   £ million 
			 2002-03 132.3 
			 2003-04 175.43 
			 2004-05 200.6 
			 2005-06 87.5(1) 
			 (1 )Information for 2005-06 is incomplete. 
		
	
	
		
			  Training and Development expenditure for DWP's agencies 2002-03 to 2005-06 
			  £ million 
			  Agencies  2002-03  2003-04  2004-05  2005-06 
			 Jobcentre plus 78.4 74.3 129.1 37.7 
			 The pension service 32.0 38.6 19.7 24.1 
			 Disability and carers' service 21.9 10.4 9.7 5.3 
			 Child support agency — 24.0 21.6 6.8 
			 The appeals service — 0.6 2.1 n/a 
			 The rent service(1) 0.797 0.814 0.869 n/a 
			 (1 )Information taken from the Rent Service Business Plan 2005-2006. 
		
	
	The categories of data gathered during this period have changed, limiting the usefulness of any year by year comparison. In addition to formal training, staff are developed in a variety of other ways including e-learning, coaching, and mentoring in the work place. All these learning interventions are now reflected in the investment figures. Records have therefore become more accurate and comprehensive resulting in the apparent increase shown above.
	
		
			  Training and Development Expenditure for non departmental public bodies (NDPB's) 
			  £ 
			   2002-03  2003-04  2004-05  2005-06 
			 Disability Employment Advisory Committee (DEAC) n/a 2,000 — 2,000 
			 Disability Living Allowance Advisory Board (DLAAB) — — — — 
			 Disability Rights Commission (DRC) 210,472 205,511 203,124 (1)419,000 
			 Health & Safety Commission (HSC) and Health and Safety Executive 5,200,000 4,700,000 3,900,000 (1)4,600,000 
			 Industrial Injuries Advisory Council (MAC) 0 0 0 0 
			 Independent Living Funds (ILF) 58,016 46,773 126,430 (1)142,310 
			 National Employment Panel (NEP) 3,013 16,079 38,891 (1)11,338 
			 Pensions Ombudsman (PO) 27,800 5,100 7,200 (1)14,000 
			 Private Pensions Fund (PPF) n/a n/a n/a (1)130,000 
			 Remploy Ltd. 4,700,000 6,200,000 7,300,000 (1)6,200,000 
			 Social Security Advisory Committee (SSAC) 0 0 0 0 
			 The Pensions Regular (TPR) n/a n/a n/a (1)793,000 
		
	
	
		
			  Training and Development Expenditure for associate bodies (i.e. other public bodies for which the Secretary of State is responsible 
			  £ 
			   2002-03  2003-04  2004-05  2005-06 
			 Independent Review Service & Social Fund Commissioner (IRS SFC) 19,902 18,245 26,284 (1, 2)44,912 
			 Motability 35,792 55,446 32,931 (1)65,000 
			 The Pensions Advisory Service (TPAS) 15,067 4,714 20,141 (1)19,000 
			 (1 )Planned expenditure.(2 )This includes the costs of external training providers. It does not include staff costs for training or the costs of in-house trainers.

Leased Land

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what  (a) land and  (b) property his Department (i) leases and (ii) leased in (A) 1979, (B) 1983, (C) 1987, (D) 1992 and (E) 1997 in (1) the Southend West constituency, (2) Essex, (3) Hertfordshire and (4) the Metropolitan Police area of London.

Anne McGuire: The Department for Work and Pensions was formed in June 2001. The Department does not lease any property or land in Southend West Constituency, Essex, Hertfordshire or the Metropolitan Police area of London. The Department's estate in these areas has been sold or transferred under a PFI partnership deal to Land Securities Trillium (LST) and in return for the payment of a unitary charge, LST is responsible for providing a full facilities management service across the estate. A list of the all the estatesold or transferred to LST by Government Office Region was placed in the Library with PQ33250 on16 February 2006,  Official Report, column 2430W.
	This response excludes The Health and Safety Executive, an Executive Non-Departmental Public Body and The Rent Service, an Executive Agency, as their records are not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
	The Department is not able to provide information about land and property leased in the years 1979, 1983, 1987, 1992 and 1997 in the areas, as the information is not available in the format requested.

Pay Gap

Brian Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the pay gap between able bodied and disabled workers in  (a) Tamworth and  (b) the UK in each year from 1997 to 2005; and what steps his Department is taking to reduce it.

Anne McGuire: This Department has not undertaken any research into the pay gap between disabled and non-disabled workers. However, the Low Pay Commission reports that, in 2004, the pay gap for people with a work-limiting disability was 13 percentage points.
	The employment provisions of the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA), as amended and strengthened by this Government, place a duty on an employer not to directly discriminate against a disabled person, or to treat the disabled person less favourably for a reason related to that person's disability, unless this can be justified. The Equal Opportunities Commission's Code of Practice on Equal Pay also makes clear that it is good practice for employers to compare the pay of disabled and non-disabled people doing equal work.
	As a result of a strong economy and active labour market policies, the employment gap between disabled and non-disabled people is starting to close. The employment rate for disabled people was 38.1 per cent. in spring 1998, rising to 46.6 per cent. by spring 2005; over the same period, the employment gap fell from 35.1 per cent. to 28 per cent.
	The Prime Minister's Strategy Unit report, "Improving the Life Chances of Disabled People" set out a 20 year strategy to realise our vision of substantive equality for disabled people. This strategy is being driven by a new Office for Disability Issues, which was launched in December 2005.

Private Office Staff

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what percentage of his private office staff is  (a) male,  (b) female and  (c) disabled.

Anne McGuire: DWP Private Office consists of seven Ministers' offices, the Permanent Secretary's office, the Special Advisers office and the Parliamentary and Correspondence Teams. Of a total 73 staff in post, the percentage of Private Office staff in the Department for Work and Pensions who are recorded as  (a) male,  (b) female and  (c) disabled is as follows:
	 (a) 41 per cent. male
	 (b) 59 per cent. female
	 (c)The number of disabled staff included in the above is between 0-4. The Civil Service Code of Practice prevents diversity data being declared when small numbers are involved in order to protect the identity of individuals.
	It should be noted that departmental records of disability are solely based on voluntary declarations of disability under the Disability Discrimination Act.

Telephone Advice Lines

Andrew Love: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many telephone advice lines his Department and its non-departmental public bodies support; how many telephone advisers each employs; and how much funding is provided by  (a) his Department and its non-departmental public bodies,  (b) other Government departments,  (c) the private sector and  (d) the voluntary sector.

Anne McGuire: The Department for Work and Pensions and its non-departmental public bodies (NDPB's) have a total of 28 telephone advice lines. The information that is available (from the advice lines where some relevant data are held) is included in the following table.
	Funding information is not held on a consistent basis. We do not provide any funding for helplines run by the voluntary sector. The constructing better health CLG helpline run by the Health and Safety Commission/Executive receives funding from another Government Department, Dept of Trade and Industry and from the private sector. The pensions regulator raises an administration levy on pension schemes and money raised from this levy is offset against funding provided by DWP.
	The number of advisers shown in the table are full-time equivalents at March 2006 for those who spend the majority of their time answering calls.
	The Pension Service (TPS) operates its telephony service as an integrated part of its business, and does not hold separate data on the number of telephone advisers nor is it able provide specific data for telephony costs alone. Other pension service helplines are run by private companies and, under the terms of confidential commercial contracts, suppliers are not required to provide information on staffing or budgeting information.
	Debt management staff undertake both telephony and non-telephony duties, therefore separate data are not available for the number of telephone advisers or telephony budgetary information.
	
		
			  Helplines  (a) Number of advisers 
			  DWP  
			  Child support agency  
			 CSA national helpline 454 
			   
			  DCS  
			 Benefit enquiry line 70 
			 Disability living allowance/ attendance allowance 316 
			   
			  Jobcentre Plus( 1)  
			 Employer direct Not available 
			 Jobcentre plus direct—jobseeker direct 527 
			 Jobcentre plus direct—first contact 3607 
			 National benefit fraud hotline Not available 
			   
			  Non-Departmental Public Bodies (NDPB)  
			   
			  Executive NDPB  
			 Disability Rights Commission (DRC)(2) 40 
			   
			  Health and Safety Commission/Executive (HSC/E)  
			 Health and safety infoline 70 
			 Health and safety gas safety advice line  
			 Incident contact centre  
			 Workplace health connect  
			 Health and Safety Executive/Freight Transport Association advice line  
			 Constructing better health CLG  
			 Remploy Ltd. 4.5 
			 The pensions regulator 20.5 
			   
			  Other bodies funded by DWP  
			 The pensions advisory service (TPAS) 4 
			 Pension protection fund (PPF) (public corporation) 4 
			 (1 )For national benefit fraud hotline and employer direct specific data on the number of telephone advisors is not available as data collected relates to all staff employed regardless of their responsibilities.(2 )Helpline is contracted out.

Crime Control Orders

Humfrey Malins: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many  (a) drug treatmentand testing orders,  (b) antisocial behaviour orders and  (c) community orders have been (i) made, (ii) breached and (iii) revoked in the last 12 months.

Gerry Sutcliffe: Information on persons given drug treatment and testing orders and other community orders and those breaching them, is published in table 4.13 of 'Sentencing Statistics, England and Wales, 2004' (Home Office Statistical Bulletin 15/05). Information relating to termination of community orders, including DTTOs, is published in table 5.1 of 'Offender Management Caseload Statistics 2004' (Home Office Statistical Bulletin 17/05).
	These publications can be found in the Library and also on the Home Office website, as follows:
	http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs05/hosb1505.pdf
	http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs05/hosb1705.pdf
	For offences committed after 4 April 2005, drug treatment and testing orders are no longer available. The new community order may comprise up to 12 requirements, one of which is the drug rehabilitation requirement.
	The number of ASBOs issued at all courts in 2004, as reported to the Home Office by the Court Service, is 2,668. From 1 January 2005 to 30 September 2005 (latest available) 2,679 ASBOs have been issued. Between 1 January 2004 to 30 September 2005 notification has been received of 11 ASBOs being revoked.
	ASBO breach data are currently available from1 June 2000 to 31 December 2003 for ASBOs issued since 1 June 2000. During this period, of the 1,892 ASBOs issued, 793 persons were convicted of breaching their ASBO on one or more occasions. Of these, 134 were for breach of ASBO alone.

Criminal Record Checks

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the average cost to the Criminal Records Bureau is of processing a disclosure application.

Joan Ryan: The average unit processing cost for a Disclosure for the financial year 2005-06 was £26.10. This figure includes payments to Police, the CRB's Public Private Partner, Capita, and the Agency's own costs. It does not include the Bureau's development costs. 20 per cent. of applications processed in 2005-06 were for volunteers and did not attract a fee. While the 2005-06 Standard and Enhanced Disclosure fees were respectively £29 and £34, the non-paying status of volunteers meant that the average unit income for a Disclosure during the financial year 2005-06 was £26.15.

E-crime

Margaret Moran: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will estimate  (a) the extent and  (b) the cost to the UK economy of e-crime in each of the last five years.

Vernon Coaker: We do not collect figures specifically on e-crime.
	However, the "DTI Information Security Breaches Survey", published April 2006, found that 52 per cent. of businesses (84 per cent. of large businesses) suffered premeditated and malicious breaches in 2006, compared with 68 per cent. in 2004 and 44 per cent. in 2002. In assessing costs, the survey showed the average cost of all incidents, both criminal and non-criminal, rose from£10,000 in 2004 to £12,000 in 2006 and estimates the total cost of all incidents is of the order of £10 billion per year, up roughly 50 per cent. since 2004.
	The 2003-04 "British Crime Survey", published April 2006, showed that 27 per cent. (compared with 18 per cent. in 2002-03) of households with internet access reported their home computer had been affected by a computer virus and a third of those reported the virus had damaged their computer. 2 per cent. (in both 2002-03 and 2003-04) of households with internet access reported that someone had accessed or hacked into files on their home computer in the previous 12 months.
	APACS, the UK payments association, estimate that internet fraud using UK plastic cards amounted to £117 million in both 2005 and 2004 and that losses from online banking fraud were £23.2 million in 2005, up from £12.2 million in 2004 (figures from the APACS "Fraud: The Facts 2006" publication, February 2006).

Misuse of Drugs Act

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the operation of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971; if he will list the statutory instruments that have been made under this Act; and what recent representations he has received on the operation of the Act.

Vernon Coaker: The Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 provides the legal framework for the control of drugs that are considered "dangerous or otherwise harmful". Through the operation of the Act, the UK has a stable mechanism of drug control which allows the police and the criminal justice system to function effectively in respect of the enforcement of the Act. The Act also enables health professionals to have appropriate access to drugs that have proven medical use.
	A list of the Statutory Instruments made under the Act is set out as follows.
	The control of drugs gives rise to a wide variety of views and representations on the operation of the Act are regularly made across their full spectrum.
	Misuse of drugs legislation—listing the statutory instruments that have been made under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971
	Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 (ch. 38) (as amended)
	Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 (Modification) Order 1973 (SI 1973 No. 771)
	Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 (Modification) Order 1975 (SI 1975 No. 421)
	Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 (Modification) Order 1977 (SI 1977 No. 1243)
	Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 (Modification) Order 1979 (SI 1979 No. 299)
	Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 (Modification) Order 1983 (SI 1983 No. 765)
	Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 (Modification) Order 1984 (SI 1984 No. 859)
	Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 (Modification) Order 1985 (SI 1985 No. 1995)
	Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 (Modification) Order 1986 (SI 1986 No. 2230)
	Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 (Modification) Order 1989 (SI 1989 No. 1340)
	Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 (Modification) Order 1990 (SI 1990 No. 2589)
	Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 (Modification) Order 1995 (SI 1995 No. 1966)
	Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 (Modification) Order 1996 (SI 1996 No. 1300)
	Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 (Modification) Order 1998 (SI 1998 No. 750)
	Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 (Modification) Order 2001 (SI 2001 No. 3932)
	Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 (Modification) Order 2003 (SI 2003 No. 1243)
	Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 (Modification) (No. 2) Order 2003 (SI 2003 No. 3201)
	Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 (Amendment) Order 2005 (SI 2005 No. 3178)
	Misuse of Drugs Regulations 1985 (SI 1985 No. 2066)
	Misuse of Drugs (Amendment) Regulations 1986 (SI 1986No. 2330)
	Misuse of Drugs (Amendment) Regulations 1988 (SI 1988No. 916)
	Misuse of Drugs (Amendment) Regulations 1989 (SI 1989No. 1460)
	Misuse of Drugs (Amendment) Regulations 1990 (SI 1990No. 2630)
	Misuse of Drugs (Amendment) Regulations 1995 (SI 1995No. 2048)
	Misuse of Drugs (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations 1995(SI 1995 No. 3244)
	Misuse of Drugs (Amendment) Regulations 1996 (SI 1996No. 1597)
	Misuse of Drugs (Amendment) Regulations 1998 (SI 1998No. 882)
	Misuse of Drugs (Amendment) Regulations 1999 (SI 1999No. 1404)
	Misuse of Drugs Regulations 2001 (SI 2001 No. 3998)—consolidated the 1985 Regulations and subsequent amendments made from 1986-99 above
	Misuse of Drugs (Amendment) Regulations 2003 (SI 2003No. 1432)
	Misuse of Drugs (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations 2003(SI 2003 No. 1653)
	Misuse of Drugs (Amendment) (No. 3) Regulations 2003(SI 2003 No. 2429)
	Misuse of Drugs (Amendment) Regulations 2005 (SI 2005No. 271)
	Misuse of Drugs (Amendment) (No, 2) Regulations 2005(SI 2005 No. 1653)
	Misuse of Drugs and Misuse of Drugs (Supply to Addicts) (Amendment) Regulations 2005 (SI 2005 No. 2864)
	Misuse of Drugs (Amendment) (No. 3) Regulations 2005(SI 2005 No. 3372)
	Misuse of Drugs (Amendment) Regulations 2006 (SI 2006No. 986)
	Misuse of Drugs (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations 2006(SI 2006 No. 1450)
	Misuse of Drugs (Designation) Order 1986 (SI 1986 No. 2331)
	Misuse of Drugs (Designation) (Variation) Order 1990 (SI 1990 No. 2631)
	Misuse of Drugs (Designation) (Variation) Order 1995 (SI 1995 No. 2047)
	Misuse of Drugs (Designation) (Variation) Order 1998 (SI 1998 No. 881)
	Misuse of Drugs (Designation) Order 2001 (SI 2001No. 3997)—consolidated 1986-98 Designation Orders
	Misuse of Drugs (Designation) (Amendment) Order 2005(SI 2005 No. 1652)
	Misuse of Drugs (Safe Custody) Regulations 1973 (SI 1973No. 798)
	Misuse of Drugs (Safe Custody) (Amendment) Regulations 1974 (SI 1974 No. 1449)
	Misuse of Drugs (Safe Custody) (Amendment) Regulations 1975 (SI 1975 No. 294)
	Misuse of Drugs (Safe Custody) (Amendment) Regulations 1984 SI 1984 No. 1146)
	Misuse of Drugs (Safe Custody) (Amendment) Regulations 1985 (SI 1985 No. 2067)
	Misuse of Drugs (Safe Custody) (Amendment) Regulations 1986 (SI 1986 No. 2332)
	Misuse of Drugs (Safe Custody) (Amendment) Regulations 1999 (SI 1999 No. 1403)
	Misuse of Drugs (Notification of and Supply to Addicts) Regulations 1973 (SI 1973 No. 799)
	Misuse of Drugs (Notification of and Supply to Addicts) (Amendment) Regulations 1983 (SI 1983 No. 1909)
	Misuse of Drugs (Supply to Addicts) Regulations 1997 (SI 1997 No. 1001)—revoked the 1973 and 1983 Regulations above
	Misuse of Drugs and Misuse of Drugs (Supply to Addicts) (Amendment) Regulations 2005 (SI 2005 No. 2864)

Murders

Stephen Crabb: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many murder victims there were aged under 18 years in each year since 1990, broken down by  (a) age,  (b) sex and  (c) local authority area.

Tony McNulty: holding answer 5 June 2006
	The available information relates to under 18 victims of homicide for each year from 1990 to 2004-05, with three tables giving breakdowns by age, gender and police force area. Local authority information is not collected centrally for this measure.
	
		
			  Offences currently( 1)  recorded as homicide( 2)  for victims under 18( 3)  by age of victim 1990 to 2004-05 
			  Age under  1990  1991  1992  1993  1994  1995  1996  January 1997?March 1998( 4) 
			 1 24 28 27 27 24 17 27 37 
			 1 13 13 6 11 9 9 7 12 
			 2 4 14 6 9 6 4 5 4 
			 3 3 3 5 3 4 3 4 6 
			 4 1 7 4 4 5 3 4 1 
			 5 7 3 2 1 3 3 6 7 
			 6 2 2 1 — 4 6 5 2 
			 7 1 5 2 2 — 10 2 4 
			 8 1 2 1 — 2 3 1 3 
			 9 — 3 2 2 3 3 2 2 
			 10 4 — 1 — 1 l 1 1 
			 11 3 2 — 1 2 1 2 — 
			 12 1 3 — 2 2 2 1 4 
			 13 1 — 1 2 1 3 4 1 
			 14 1 5 5 3 3 4 4 4 
			 15 1 3 5 2 7 8 5 3 
			 16 10 5 8 3 3 4 11 10 
			 17 8 12 6 11 14 4 10 8 
			 Total under 18 85 110 82 83 93 88 101 109 
		
	
	
		
			  Age under  1998-99  1999-2000  2000-01  2001-02  2002-03  2003-04  2004-05  Total 1990 to 2004-05 
			 1 37 31 49 17 30 31 23 429 
			 1 5 4 11 10 9 9 7 135 
			 2 9 3 4 5 7 5 6 91 
			 3 4 3 4 2 8 3 4 59 
			 4 2 1 1 3 2 1 — 39 
			 5 5 1 — 3 3 3 3 50 
			 6 — 5 4 4 3 3 3 44 
			 7 5 3 4 3 4 2 1 48 
			 8 3 3 5 3 1 — — 28 
			 9 — 2 — 1 3 — 1 24 
			 10 2 1 2 1 4 2 1 22 
			 11 1 2 2 1 1 — 2 20 
			 12 2 1 4 1 2 — — 25 
			 13 1 4 2 — — 4 4 28 
			 14 1 — 3 4 4 5 3 49 
			 15 5 1 3 6 4 8 4 65 
			 16 11 10 12 13 4 5 8 117 
			 17 15 9 13 13 14 9 8 154 
			 Total under 18 108 84 123 90 107 90 74 1,427 
			 (1).As at 28 November 2005; figures are subject to revision as cases are dealt with by the police and the courts, or as further information comes to light. Excludes cases that result in an acquittal or conviction of a lesser offence.  (2) Murder, manslaughter and infanticide.  (3) Excludes cases where age of victim is unknown.  (4) This is a 15 month period that reflects the transition from calendar year reporting to financial year reporting in April 1998. 
		
	
	
		
			  Offences currently( 1)  recorded as homicide( 2)  for victims under 18( 3)  by age of victim 1990 to 2004-05 
			  Force area  1990  1991  1992  1993  1994  1995  1996  January 1997?March 1998( 4) 
			 Avon and Somerset — 2 1 2 1 4 3 5 
			 Bedfordshire — — — l 1 1 2 — 
			 Cambridgeshire 2 1 1 — 1 — 1 — 
			 Cheshire — 3 2 6 — 4 — 1 
			 Cleveland — 2 1 — 3 — 2 1 
			 Cumbria — 2 1 — — — — 1 
			 Derbyshire — — 2 1 1 1 3 3 
			 Devon and Cornwall 4 3 2 1 3 — 1 3 
			 Dorset 1 — 1 1 6 1 1 — 
			 Durham — 1 1 2 3 1 — 1 
			 Essex(5) 4 — — 1 3 1 3 3 
			 Gloucestershire — 4 1 3 5 — 1 1 
			 Greater Manchester 5 4 8 3 3 6 8 6 
			 Hampshire 2 3 1 1 — — 8 l 
			 Hertfordshire(5) — 1 — — — — — 1 
			 Humberside 1 2 2 2 3 3 3 3 
			 Kent 1 4 2 3 3 2 2 2 
			 Lancashire — 1 2 4 5 — 7 6 
			 Leicestershire — 3 2 1 — — 2 — 
			 Lincolnshire — 5 — — 1 — — — 
			 London, City of — — 1 — — 1 — — 
			 Merseyside 2 6 — 2 3 2 5 4 
			 Metropolitan Police(5) 20 15 9 13 11 18 15 26 
			 Norfolk 1 — 2 — 1 5 — 3 
			 North Yorkshire 1 — 1 2 1 — — 1 
			 Northamptonshire 1 1 — 1 — — 2 1 
			 Northumbria 2 3 5 2 4 1 2 3 
			 Nottinghamshire 1 9 5 2 7 — 1 2 
			 South Yorkshire 2 5 3 5 5 6 1 — 
			 Staffordshire 3 1 1 2 1 3 1 2 
			 Suffolk — — — — 1 2 1 — 
			 Surrey(5) 1 2 3 — — — — — 
			 Sussex 5 1 4 1 1 — 1 4 
			 Thames Valley 5 3 3 3 — 4 5 4 
			 Warwickshire — 1 — — 1 1 — — 
			 West Mercia 2 2 3 4 1 — — 4 
			 West Midlands 8 3 8 7 8 7 11 6 
			 West Yorkshire 6 7 1 3 5 9 3 5 
			 Wiltshire 3 — 2 2 — — 2 2 
			 Dyfed Powys 1 1 — 1 — — 2 — 
			 Gwent — 2 — 1 1 — 1 — 
			 North Wales — — — — — 1 — 1 
			 South Wales 1 7 1 — — 4 1 3 
			  85 110 82 83 93 88 101 109 
		
	
	
		
			  Force area  1998-99  1999-2000  2000-01  2001-02  2002-03  2003-04  2004-05  Grand total 
			 Avon and Somerset — 3 1 5 2 1 — 30 
			 Bedfordshire — 3 1 5 — 1 — 15 
			 Cambridgeshire 2 1 1 1 3 — 2 16 
			 Cheshire 5 — — 1 1 3 1 27 
			 Cleveland 1 — — 2 2 1 1 16 
			 Cumbria — 1 — 3 1 3 — 12 
			 Derbyshire — 4 — 1 2 1 1 20 
			 Devon and Cornwall 3 — 8 6 2 1 4 41 
			 Dorset 1 — — — 1 — 1 14 
			 Durham — — 1 1 1 — — 12 
			 Essex(5) 4 — — 3 — 2 2 26 
			 Gloucestershire 4 — — 1 2 1 1 24 
			 Greater Manchester 7 4 8 10 3 5 6 86 
			 Hampshire 1 1 3 6 6 1 2 36 
			 Hertfordshire(5) — — 1 — — — 1 4 
			 Humberside 2 — 2 1 1 2 4 31 
			 Kent 4 2 4 4 3 — 3 39 
			 Lancashire 1 3 3 1 3 5 1 42 
			 Leicestershire 4 — 1 — 2 3 1 19 
			 Lincolnshire 4 — 3 1 2 1 — 17 
			 London, City of — — — — — — — 2 
			 Merseyside 4 2 1 1 2 2 6 42 
			 Metropolitan Police(5) 18 12 19 17 22 19 12 246 
			 Norfolk 3 1 3 — 1 1 — 21 
			 North Yorkshire — 1 — — — — 1 8 
			 Northamptonshire — 1 5 — 1 1 — 14 
			 Northumbria 4 4 3 — 3 3 — 39 
			 Nottinghamshire 2 4 1 1 4 1 3 43 
			 South Yorkshire 1 — 5 3 4 1 4 45 
			 Staffordshire 8 1 5 1 1 2 — 32 
			 Suffolk 2 2 4 — 3 5 — 20 
			 Surrey(5) — 1 3 1 3 — — 14 
			 Sussex 4 3 6 1 — 2 3 36 
			 Thames Valley 4 4 2 — 2 1 2 42 
			 Warwickshire 1 — 1 1 — — — 6 
			 West Mercia 4 3 3 — 2 2 1 31 
			 West Midlands 5 8 5 8 7 8 5 104 
			 West Yorkshire 1 3 8 3 6 6 5 71 
			 Wiltshire — 1 4 — 1 1 — 18 
			 Dyfed Powys — 1 — — 1 — — 7 
			 Gwent — — 2 1 1 1 — 10 
			 North Wales 2 1 2 — 4 1 1 13 
			 South Wales 2 9 4 — 2 2 — 36 
			  108 84 123 90 107 90 74 1,427 
			 (1) As at 28 November 2005; figures are subject to revision as cases are dealt with by the police and the courts, or as further information comes to light. Excludes cases that result in an acquittal or conviction of a lesser offence.  (2) Murder, manslaughter and infanticide.  (3) Excludes cases where age of victim is unknown.  (4) This is a 15 month period that reflects the transition from calendar year reporting to financial year reporting in April 1998.  (5) These force areas were subject to boundary changes on 1 April 2000. 
		
	
	
		
			  Offences currently( 1)  recorded as homicide( 2)  for victims under 18( 3)  by gender of victim 1990 to 2004-05 
			  Gender  1990  1991  1992  1993  1994  1995  1996  January 1997?March 1998( 4) 
			 Male 55 52 41 44 40 50 59 65 
			 Female 30 58 41 39 53 38 42 44 
			 Total 85 110 82 83 93 88 101 109 
		
	
	
		
			  Gender  1998-99  1999-2000  2000-01  2001-02  2002-03  2003-04  2004-05  Total 1990?2004-05 
			 Male 66 52 73 62 48 59 45 811 
			 Female 42 32 50 28 59 31 29 616 
			 Total 108 84 123 90 107 90 74 1,427 
			 (1) As at 28 November 2005; figures are subject to revision as cases are dealt with by the police and the courts, or as further information comes to light. Excludes cases that result in an acquittal or conviction of a lesser offence.  (2) Murder, manslaughter and infanticide. (3) Excludes cases where age of victim is unknown.  (4) This is a 15 month period that reflects the transition from calendar year reporting to financial year reporting in April 1998.

UN Convention on Narcotic Drugs

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the Office of Fair Trade is investigating interpretation in the UK of the United Nations Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs 1961; what recent representations he has received on this issue; and if he will make a statement.

Vernon Coaker: On 7 March 2006 the Office of Fair Trading published a review of undertakings given by the pharmaceutical supplier Macfarlan Smith Ltd., who supply opiate derivatives in the UK. The OFT report also recommends that the Government consider competition when licensing opiate derivatives.
	The Government are committed to responding within 90 days to OFT recommendations that cover the impact of regulation on competition. On 5 June 2006 Ian McCartney, the Minister of State for Trade, Investment and Foreign Affairs wrote to the Chief Executive of the OFT explaining that a full response would take a further 45 days, owing to the need for Government to perform a wider analysis of the market beyond the scope of the OFT review. As part of that process officials have had discussions with Macfarlan Smith Ltd.